Online Reporter
Mozambique and Malawi are in the grip of yet another crisis.
Torrential rains have been falling there since December, resulting in widespread flooding.
In Mozambique, 812 335 people have been affected, with 137 losing their lives. Infrastructure worth $644m has been destroyed.
More than 163 000 have been impacted in Malawi, their homes and property destroyed. Reports say at least 40 people have died due to lightning and flooding.
The governments of Malawi and Mozambique have declared disasters and appealed for aid.
Our country was one of the first responders, with President Mnangagwa returning to the office from his annual leave to coordinate aid packages to our sister republics.
He quickly dispatched two helicopters to Mozambique to assist in the evacuation of marooned people to safety.
Through ZimAid, Zimbabwe sent 1 000 tonnes of food, blankets and other essential supplies to Malawi on Thursday.
Yesterday, Acting President Kembo Mohadi handed over 300 tonnes of food as well as medical supplies, timber, blankets, mealie-meal, sugar, salt, sanitary wear and cash donations to Mozambique.
Both countries were appreciative of the assistance they received from Harare.
The gestures by the Government are super, super significant. They highlight good neighbourliness and the strong bonds that define our relationships.
Yes, our country does not have much to spare. However, what we have is a heart which gets touched when it sees humanity suffering.
Indeed, the biggest giver is not the one who gives because he or she has it all in abundance.
Instead, the biggest giver is one who splits their last morsel to give from the heart.
Like the widow of Zarepath, who, despite being poor, still trusted God, not during a time of plenty, but during a time of extreme famine, to feed prophet Elijah with her last meal.
It could have made a lot of sense if she had kept the food to herself and her family, eaten it and, as 1 Kings 17 verse 12 says, later starved.
But because she gave her last serving from her heart, she later received a blessing. Her jar of flour was not used up, and her jug of oil did not run dry until God sent rain to the land.
When her son died later, Elijah prayed for him and his life was restored.
That is the real essence of giving and the great things that happen to selfless givers.
What Harare has done is an example which other African countries must follow because we have normalised the notion of humanitarian assistance as interventions that must come from the wealthier West, with African support starting and ending in well-worded solidarity and condolence messages.
